Why Australians Have Stopped Being Nice (The Data Doesn’t Lie)

Have you noticed people seem shorter-tempered lately?

The bloke who snaps at you in the supermarket queue. The relative who tears strips off a nurse in a hospital waiting room. The parent screaming at a teenage umpire at a junior footy match.

You’re not imagining it. Nearly nine in ten retail workers in Australia were verbally abused in the last year. Principals are being threatened at nearly double the rate they were in 2011. And nurses are copping violence and aggression on the job at record levels.

But here’s the twist – Australia isn’t actually becoming more violent. Assault rates have been falling for over a decade. So what’s really going on, and more importantly, what’s driving it?

In this episode, Simon Kuestenmacher talks about why Australia feels angrier, even as physical violence keeps falling.

By the end of today’s show you’ll understand exactly why Australians are getting angrier without getting more violent, what role your smartphone and social media are playing in rewiring how we treat each other, and why financial pressure and cost of living stress might be the biggest hidden driver of all.

And for those of us in business or dealing with clients and tenants, there’s a real lesson in here about who cops the anger and why.”

We unpack how online outrage, social media algorithms, and financial stress are reshaping everyday behaviour.

We look at how frontline workers in retail, health, education, and transport are copping more abuse.

We discuss why young people are especially exposed to cyberbullying and online hate.

We finish by exploring what businesses and governments can do to reduce frustration and protect staff.

Takeaways   

• Social media rewards outrage, making angry content spread faster than calm commentary.
• Online anonymity lowers inhibition, so people express hostility they would never voice face-to-face.
• Frontline workers absorb frustration from systems they did not create or control.
• Cost of living pressure shortens patience, especially for people worried about bills or rent.
• Cyberbullying hits children hard because abuse lands during their most formative years.
• School principals face rising threats because family anger increasingly spills into education settings.
• Women are overrepresented among abused frontline staff because they dominate caring and service roles.
• Self-checkouts and chatbots often intensify frustration by delaying human support when customers are already upset.
• Physical assault rates have fallen, showing anger is growing without a matching rise in violence.
• Fairer systems and easier access to real people can reduce resentment before it escalates.

About Simon Kuestenmacher  

Simon Kuestenmacher is co-founder and Director – The Demographics Group. 

Simon is a prolific media commentator on demographic and data matters and a columnist for The New Daily and The Australian newspapers.    

He ranks as one of the world’s Top 10 influencers in data visualisation. If you can’t get enough of the kind of data that explains how the world works, make sure to follow Simon on LinkedIn or X (formerly Twitter) or any of his other social channels. 

Click here for a media enquiry or if you would like to book Simon Kuestenmacher for a speaking engagement. His presentations and quirky observations are enjoyed by audiences from the financial services, property, government, education, technology, retail and professional services industries, among others. 

About Michael Yardney 

Michael Yardney – founder Metropole Property Strategists has been voted one of Australia’s 50 most influential Thought Leaders. 

While he is best known as a property expert, Michael is also Australia’s leading expert in the psychology of success and wealth creation. 

Michael is a #1 best selling author of 9 books and frequently challenges traditional finance advice with innovative ideas on property investment, personal finance and wealth creation. 

Follow Michael on LinkedIn or Instagram 

Are you interested in property investment – let the team at Metropole build you a Strategic Property Plan to help give you clarity, direction and wealth – producing results. 

Also, please subscribe to my other podcast, Property Investment & Wealth Creation Australia | The Michael Yardney Podcast. Just look for it wherever you are listening to this podcast and subscribe so each week we can unveil the trends shaping your future. Or click here